Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6770

Wednesday 12 February 2025

Vol clv No 19

pp. 263–271

Notices by Faculty Boards, etc.

Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II (Biological and Biomedical Sciences), 2025–26

The Faculty Board of Biology gives notice, in accordance with Regulation 30 for the Natural Sciences Tripos (Statutes and Ordinances, 2024, p. 411) that the following combinations of Major and Minor Subjects will be offered in the Natural Sciences Tripos, Part II (Biological and Biomedical Sciences), in 2025–26.

Subject to any restrictions announced in a particular year by the Faculty Board under the provisions of Regulation 30, candidates for the examination in Biological and Biomedical Sciences for Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos are required to offer:

(a)The examination requirements of one Major Subject;

(b)The examination requirements of one Minor Subject;

(c)A dissertation of not more than 6,000 words, excluding tables, figures and references.

All subjects make provision for candidates to offer a dissertation.

The subject’s available and permissible combinations are listed below. Some subjects have restrictions on the number of candidates that can be accepted. Where possible this is indicated below – further information will be available as part of the Part II Subject Allocation process. A module taken as part of a Major Subject cannot be taken as a Minor Subject.

The Major Subjects for 2025–26 will be:

Major Subject

Permissible Minor Subjects

Examination requirements

402

Pathology

Maximum 25 candidates

107, 108, 114, 129 and 137

Four written papers of three hours each.

408

Pharmacology

Maximum 15 candidates

107, 108, 109, 111, 113, 114, 120, 126, 127, 129, 132, 137, 142, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 151 and 154

Four written papers: three papers of three hours (Papers 1–3) and one paper of three hours and 15 minutes (Paper 4)

409

Psychology

Maximum 25 candidates

Students may choose additional Minor Subjects that do not have lecture clashes with the Psychology modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Four written papers of three hours each or three written papers of three hours each and three oral examinations (PBS 7).

411

Biochemistry

Maximum 7 candidates

107, 108, 114, 129, 137 and 151 Students may choose additional Minor Subjects depending on their module choice in Lent Term. Students may choose Minor Subjects that do not have clashes with the Biochemistry modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Five written papers of three hours each.

412

Plant Sciences

(Choose two from PLM1, PLM2, PLM3 and Zoology ZM2, and two from PLL1, PLL2, PLL3 and Zoology ZL3, ZL4 and ZL5)

Maximum 8 candidates

126, 134 and 137 Students may choose Minor Subjects that do not have lecture clashes with the Plant Sciences modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Four written papers of three hours each.

414

Genetics

Maximum 10 candidates

107, 108, 113, 144, 145, 147, 151 and 152 – Students to choose a Minor Subject that does not have lecture clashes with the Genetics modules – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Four written papers of three hours each.

415

Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Maximum 25 candidates

A fifth PDN module can be taken as a Minor Subject. Students may choose Minor Subjects that do not have lecture clashes with the PDN modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Four written papers of three hours each.

427

Zoology

(Choose two from Zoology modules ZM1, ZM2, ZM5, ZM6, ZM7, ZM9 and ZM10, Plant Sciences M3 and two from ZL1 to ZL7)

Maximum 25 candidates

143 and 149 A fifth Zoology module can be taken as a Minor Subject. Students may choose Minor Subjects that do not have lecture clashes with the Zoology modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Four written papers of three hours each.

429

Human Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour

Maximum 10+ candidates

108, 137, 143, 144, 146, 147, 149 and 152. Students may choose Minor Subjects that do not have lecture clashes with the Human Evolution modules chosen – please consult the relevant lecture timetables.

Two core papers to be assessed by a three-hour written examination, plus the examination requirements of two optional papers.

430

History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

Maximum 12 candidates

105, 108, 109, 120, 121,126, 134, 135, 141, 143, 145, 146, 148, 149, 152 and 153.

Four written papers of three hours each.

The Minor Subjects for 2025–26 will be:

Minor Subject

Examination requirements

104

Human Evolution (ARCH Paper B3)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

105

Human Ecology and Behaviour (ARCH Paper B2)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

107

Philosophy and Ethics of Medicine (History and Philosophy of Science)

Maximum 20 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

108

Health, Medicine, and Society (HSPS Paper Soc 13)

Please note the number of candidates for this paper is capped. The capacity will be confirmed by the Department of Sociology on 16 September and students will be confirmed by the Faculty of Biology shortly after this date.

Invigilated in-person examination of three hours’ duration.

109

The Family (Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Paper 8)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

111

Higher Order Brain Function and Dysfunction (PDN Module N6) Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

113

Early Medicine (History and Philosophy of Science) Maximum 12 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

114

Modern Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

(History and Philosophy of Science)

Maximum 12 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

120

Genetics of Health and Disease (Genetics Module 3)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

121

Evolutionary Genetics and Adaptation

(Genetics Module 4, Zoology Module ZL5)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

124

Advanced Topics in Social and Applied Psychology (Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Paper 7) Maximum 7 candidates

Three oral examinations, each consisting of an 8‑minute presentation followed by a 5‑minute question and answer session.

126

Topics in Music and Science: Exploring Music Psychology (Music Paper 17)

Maximum 3 candidates.

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

127

Conservation Science (Zoology Module ZM2)

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

129

Applied Clinical Research(Department of Public Health and Primary Care)

Minimum 9 candidates, maximum 12 candidates

One written paper of five hours’ duration.

132

Evolution and Comparative Anatomy of Mammals (Zoology ZL1)

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

134

From Genome to Proteome (Biochemistry)

Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

135

Cell Cycle, Signalling and Cancer (Biochemistry) Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

137

Surgical and Radiological Anatomy (PDN)

Maximum 30 candidates

One Single Best Answer Multiple Choice Question paper of one hour’s duration (worth 20% of the Minor Subject mark), a report of 2,500–3,000 words on the chosen Lent option (worth 50% of the Minor Subject mark), and an individual presentation (worth 30% of the Minor Subject mark).

138

Developmental Neurobiology (PDN Module N1) Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

141

Cellular Physiology (PDN Module P1)

Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

142

Development and Stem Cells (PDN Module P2) Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

143

Systems and Clinical Physiology (PDN Module P8) Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

144

Plant Signalling Networks in Growth and Development (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

145

Microbes: Evolution, Genomes and Lifestyle (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

146

Evolution and Ecosystems Dynamics (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

147

Plant Genomes and Synthetic Biology (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

148

Responses to Global Change (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

149

Exploiting Plant Metabolism (Plant Sciences)

Maximum 3 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

151

Comparative Human Biology (ARCH Paper B4) Maximum 10 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

152

Neuroscience: Circuits and Systems (PDN Module N3)

Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

153

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (PDN Module N4)

Maximum 5 candidates

One written paper of three hours’ duration.

154

Applied Ecology (Zoology ZL4)

One written paper of three hours’ duration.